Twin brothers saddened by HGTV decision due to their support of traditional values.

CNA/EWTN NEWS

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Twin brothers David and Jason Benham have said they are “saddened” that their reality show about giving houses to poor persons was canceled following controversy over their opposition to abortion and same-sex “marriage.”

“With all of the grotesque things that can be seen and heard on television today, you would think there would be room for two twin brothers who are faithful to our families, committed to biblical principles and dedicated professionals,” the two said in a May 8 statement. “If our faith costs us a television show, then so be it.”

The Benham brothers are experienced in “house flipping,” the renovation and resale of houses for profit. Their HGTV reality show Flip It Forward was set to premiere in October.

The show was to have emphasized the North Carolina twins’ “sibling rivalry” as they help poor families “buy the homes they never thought they could afford” by transforming “fixer-upper” houses, HGTV said in an April press release.

The website Right Wing Watch, run by the political advocacy group People for the American Way, had charged that the channel had chosen an “anti-gay, anti-choice extremist” for its reality television show.

It cited David Benham’s comments to a radio-show host after a 2012 prayer rally he led outside of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C.

He said that, despite so many professed American Christians, “we have no-fault divorce; we have pornography and perversion; we have homosexuality and its agenda that is attacking the nation; we have adultery … we even have allowed demonic ideologies to take our universities and our public-school systems while the church sits silent and just builds big churches,” Benham had said.

The website objected to Benham’s protests of abortion businesses, his support for North Carolina’s traditional marriage amendment and his criticism of Islam. It also criticized the views and actions of the brothers’ father, Christian pastor Flip Benham.

The angle of Right Wing Watch’s report was echoed in other press outlets; Entertainment Weekly characterized the dispute as an “anti-gay controversy.”

On May 7, HGTV said it “decided not to move forward” with the planned TV series.

“Anyone who suggests that we hate homosexuals or people of other faiths is either misinformed or lying.”

The brothers said they would keep their commitment to the six families who had already been selected to receive a new house.

Jason Benham told CNN May 8 that the HGTV channel had vetted him and his brother and was aware of the footage.

“They got to know us a little better, and then they made a judgment call, recognizing that David and I have no hate in our heart for anyone.”

David added, “We love all people. I love homosexuals. I love Islam [and] Muslims, and my brother and I would never discriminate.”

“Never have I ever spoken against homosexuals as individuals and gone against them. I speak about an agenda. And that's really what the point of this is — is that there is an agenda that is seeking to silence the voices of men and women of faith.”

James Arnold, editor of the legal group Alliance Defending Freedom’s Alliance Alert, said the cancellation is “hardly the first time something like this has happened.”

“Whether it was in television, technology or public health, we have seen this numerous times before.”

He cited the controversy over Duck Dynasty television star Phil Robertson, who was suspended for crude remarks expressing bafflement at homosexual attraction, and the resignation of Mozilla co-founder Brendan Eich after activists targeted him for his $1,000 donation to California’s amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

Arnold contended that HGTV is “only the latest” to “blacklist individuals” for their views.

Supporters of the Benham brothers include the website Faith Driven Consumer, which is calling on HGTV to change its decision and rallying support on social with the hashtag #FlipThisDecision.

Tom in AZ - Okay. Thank you for explaining another way to think about the word “consubstantial”. What you wrote makes sense. Although I understood the meaning of “one in Being” & “of the same substance” = the Father is God, Son is God, I hope they don’t change it, again. I do not like having to READ the Creed; it should be something I believe in my heart. For years, I had the Creed memorized. It’s not just words on a sheet of paper, but when I read it this Sunday, I’ll fondly think of your kindness in explaining it to me. I’ll get over not liking it…

Consubstantial is just difficult to say (I know an elderly man that calls it “connible”, and don’t even think that’s a word). But if that’s what it is, so be it. They do need to stick with it, however, and stop changing things, even in 50 more years.

If they MUST change things, they should implement the instructions Paul wrote to Timothy and Titus, in his Pastoral Letters. Regarding your mention of all bishops being celibate, there were 39 married popes in church history. It was not until the 12th century that mandated celibacy became the rule for clergy in the Latin rite. It should be God’s word: the Bible that we look to for how to best structure our church.

With the Synod on the Family happening, and with the odd things coming out of Rome recently, I strongly believe EVERYONE that is of like-mind, especially Catholics, need to stick together. Our world culture is taking us places where we do not want to go. What happened in the 5th century, or the 12th century or the 20th century is not as important as is our OBEYING GOD and His word = the Bible, now, and in particular, Paul’s Pastoral Letters to Timothy and Titus.

About National Day of Prayer:
A Presidential Proclamation of 60+ years ago is hardly the whim of a little, local tribal chief, as you call it. Keep in mind it is only in PUBLIC where the Catholic Church can make a difference, like when JPII worshipped with Muslims & kissed the Koran. That got attention. Private prayer is important. But corporate UNIFIED Christian prayer is key.

We need Christian unity. Even Jesus prayed for unity in His church. Yet, Catholics have to have their OWN Day of Prayer, and *our day* is soon after the first Thursday in May, made official in Washington DC, six decades ago. It’s just silly. It’s not nice. It makes us Catholics look exclusive, unwilling to associate with non-Catholic Christians.

I am not saying we need to pray with Muslims (as did JPII) but we should be able to pray with non-Catholic Christians to the One true God of Israel, through the Messiah, Jesus the Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, so we will all be empowered to be salt and light to the world, like the two brothers in this article, that courageously paid a huge price, for their choice to honor God, and for their witness to the world about their moral beliefs that were formed by heeding God’s word.

Posted by Tom in AZ on Thursday, May, 15, 2014 7:26 PM (EST):

@Terah James: “Consubstantial” means “of the same substance”. “One in being” sounds pretty but says very little; besides, it can be used to support Adoptionism and probably Arianism, since there are many senses in which one can BECOME “one in being” with God, while only that which is itself fully divine is “of the same substance”. I would accept “of the same nature as the Father”, as well (which is what the Creed says in Spanish). It is a difference of precision; you and everyone you know THINK you understand it better, but that is because it’s so vague you can all grasp one of its terms’ many, many senses. A Creed is not a thing for vague feel-good ad-copy, though.
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Quite honestly, your example is pathetic. Lots and lots of Catholics participate in the National Day of Prayer—privately. Secular leaders throughout history have asked their nations to pray without it being announced from the pulpits; secular leaders in pagan countries that attend their temples twice a year regularly ask their nations for prayers (follow Japanese politics sometime). The Catholic clergy do not hop to when your little tribal chief says he wants prayers, and this is your example of how they want their own supremacy?
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As for “married men with children”...what, you mean the people who CURRENTLY commit sex abuse at twice the rate of the HEIGHT of the priest-scandal (which was forty years ago)? And fathers primarily abuse LITTLE GIRLS; the priests mostly abused adolescent boys. We actually had reasons for making the priesthood celibate—not least was so that our clergy would not be caught in adultery-scandals, like regularly plague Protestant clergy (at far higher rates even than PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS commit sex abuse—while Catholic clergy have the lowest rate in the world).
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As for “tradition from the 12th century”, one, secular-clergy celibacy is actually from the time of St. Leo the Great (d. 461), and two, monastic celibacy dates to the very earliest times (and all bishops were celibate).

[comment edited]

Posted by TJ on Thursday, May, 15, 2014 4:03 PM (EST):

The problem is HOW supposed “rights” are demanded by homosexuals. The tactic right now is to bully heterosexuals. While no heterosexual is forced to ATTEND a same-sex union as a guest, straight men and women are being forced to be there, as photographers, bakers, etc., either against their wills, or they can be put out of business. Those are the choices, and it is wrong. Two social injustices do not make a right one.

For every real (or perceived) social injustice given by a homosexual, a heterosexual can come up with a list too. American should stay with Natural Law, preserving Traditional Marriage, and Free Speech (plus Freedom of Thought!) so our nation will continue to be strong for future generations. Common sense should apply with legislation. Not bullying tactics. Taking into consideration the question, “What is a marriage?” should be Step One in this case.

A God-honoring person will not be in support of behavior that God calls immoral, and repeatedly speaks against, in the Old Testament and in the New. Read Paul’s letter to the Roman’s Chapter One, among other verses that clearly show homosexual behavior is a sin. Anyone embracing sin has no relationship with God.

Homosexuals can sin. They have every “right” to sin, according to God and according to the law of their lands. But a God-loving Christian will not embrace any sinful behavior and call it good. We are not deluded. Only people that refuse to accept the Bible as the holy and inspired word of God can (and do) reject what Scripture teaches, and it is to their eternal peril. It’s sad.

But we are all sinners. Only when we recognize it, and repent (turning from sin and allowing our lives to change) are we forgiven. If we remain stubborn, dancing the tune, then we will have to pay the piper, in this life or in the next (and for eternity). I choose to obey God: the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Posted by Chuck Anziulewicz on Thursday, May, 15, 2014 9:49 AM (EST):

Having an opinion is one thing. Working to deny other people the rights you yourself take for granted is quite another. Gay people never told David Benham that HE shouldn’t be allowed to marry the person he loves. We never suggested that he should marry someone of the same sex, or that he should be forced to attend a Gay wedding.

The opponents of marriage equality seem to think it’s perfectly OK that law-abiding, taxpaying Gay Americans should be forced to subsidize all the legal benefits of Straight married couples, but we shouldn’t be allowed to take part in those same incentives toward commitment.

In most U.S. states Gay people can be fired from their jobs, kicked out of their rental properties, turned away from businesses, and denied the right to marry solely because of our sexual orientation. And YET, when we try to combat this social injustice, WE’RE the ones who are called “intolerant.”

Posted by Terah James on Wednesday, May, 14, 2014 6:43 PM (EST):

@Tom in AZ: what makes “consubstantial” correct? In your own words, please not a cut and paste explanation from the USCCB.

I’m curious to know because I understand “one in Being” much better than consubstantial; it’s easier to say and everyone I know understands it better too.

Regarding your request for one actual example of priests & even more importantly, bishops, refusing to join hands with God-honoring non-Catholics, I draw your attention to the first Thursday in May, that for over 60 years has been the National Day of Prayer in the United States. Catholics are never told about it at Mass, or encouraged to participate in it, and I mean: never. Yet, there is a *separate Catholic* Day of Prayer, held soon after, and led by Catholic clergy.

These clergymen are winning the battle (in insisting upon their superiority) and they are helping us all to lose the culture war, the topic of this news article and blog.

These clergymen would not make good husbands or fathers. St. Paul knew what he was writing about, when he instructed Timothy and Titus to choose married men (with children) as their church leaders, “for if a man cannot manage his own little family with dignity, how can he take care of the church of God?” Good advice, going ignored.

This morning, I tuned into the Patrick Madrid radio program, and had to laugh because he told a caller that preserving marriage between one man and one woman wasn’t just OUR idea, it is instruction from God, and anyone that believes in God needs to submit to God’s authority.

While he is 100% correct, and I agree with Madrid (the program was how to respond to non-Christians that think Christians - Catholics included - are hypocrites) it seems that when it comes to SOME things, God’s word plays second fiddle to almost anything, and that is why we do come across as hypocrites, and we do not seem to know what we are doing.

There is a price to be paid for not submitting to God’s authority, about everything. We can not pick and choose, preferring “tradition” from the 12th century over what’s clearly in the Bible.

Only when we see our clergy leaders (mostly in Rome) eating some Humble Pie, and submitting to God’s authority = in His Word, in its fullness = will there be healthy happenings in our church, and in the greater Body of Christ (that includes all Christians that are God-honoring, and that call Jesus, Lord.)

Posted by Patience on Wednesday, May, 14, 2014 12:29 PM (EST):

Brave new world.

Posted by Tom in AZ on Wednesday, May, 14, 2014 12:22 PM (EST):

@Terah James: I care if we say “consubstantial” rather than “one in being”, since the former is correct, and the latter is a vague approximation in North Atlantic Islander Pidgin. You can’t see the difference? That sounds like a problem on your end.
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For the rest: give ONE actual example of priests and bishops refusing to “join hands with Evangelicals and other non-Catholic Christians that just want to honor God”. Seriously, name one time. Name one time that they’ve actually insisted that “THEY must be the big cheeses of every event”, or anything remotely comparable. Just. One. Time.

Posted by Beverly on Wednesday, May, 14, 2014 9:30 AM (EST):

I used to like watching some of the shows on HGTV, but in protest to their action against these brothers I have placed a parental lock on the station. It’s really a shame that those on the other side of this issue are so full of hate that they do not have the tolerance to allow those who disagree with them to earn a living. If we don’t speak out loudly and clearly against actions such as these it will only get worse. We as Catholics must stand with our fellow Christians who are being vilified and discriminated against by these actions.

Posted by Maggie on Wednesday, May, 14, 2014 8:11 AM (EST):

Wouldn’t it be nice if a Christian or Catholic TV station would pick this show up and run it? I know I would watch it. I keep watching the Florida Homebuilders help the same family over and over again. This would bring some variety and additional hope.

Posted by Michael Marshall on Wednesday, May, 14, 2014 7:57 AM (EST):

This is the main reason I gave up on TV watching over a year ago. I believe if you have a view point in line with the world you can stay on TV( e.g. violent, homosexual, and anti-Catholic, and so on). I really think the the only way shows like to be on the air is either all Catholic network with this type of show or it go on the internet. I would like to watch this show like this. Same on HGTV but maybe we can stand up to this type up discrimination based ob beliefs. Its seems that the only way the 1 st amendment applies if you have liberal, so-called inclusive, and anti religious especially anti-Catholic.

Posted by Gospelguy on Tuesday, May, 13, 2014 7:31 PM (EST):

This is outrageous. Once again we see Freedom of Speech and Religion taking a hit. HGTV should let the show air and let viewers decide if they want to watch. I have seen numerous interviews with the brothers and I don’t see anything offensive in their opinions. They support traditional marriage without saying anything (that I have seen) to denigrate homosexuals. Most of my posts at the Register are in support of our American freedoms identified most clearly in the Bill of Rights. People do not have a right NOT to be offended. If people are offended they can CHOOSE NOT to watch.
Peace

Posted by joanne on Tuesday, May, 13, 2014 5:49 PM (EST):

I will no longer watch HGTV

Posted by Terah James on Tuesday, May, 13, 2014 5:11 PM (EST):

I blame the Roman Catholic Church for this because it is not teaching Catholic pew people right from wrong at Sunday Mass. Instead we have feel-good homilies that causes destruction in society.

Whether or not they attend church, an overwhelming number of Americans call themselves “Catholic”. Too many Catholics are in public office, making decisions that are ruining our country.

The focus among priests and most bishops is on minor things, like saying “consubstantial with the Father” as opposed to, “one in Being with the Father”, while MORALS are careening on a downward slide.

This is just the most recent instance. Chick-fil-A was kept out of some cities, a baker and a photographer went out of business, instead of being forced to violate their Christian beliefs, all people accused of being “anti-gay”, when all they want is no redefinition of marriage, that would open the door to anything, diluting the covenant meant for one man, one woman and God.

Why can’t the Catholic priests and bishops join hands with Evangelicals and other non-Catholic Christians that just want to honor God? Why must Catholic priests and bishops be so exclusive, so that THEY must be the big cheeses of every event, like a Prayer Vigil? They should learn how to get along and put their pride aside. And who cares if we say “one in Being” and not “consubstantial”, as long as we do not redefine marriage?

Posted by Jane on Tuesday, May, 13, 2014 2:05 PM (EST):

Bravo for the Benhams for standing up for what they believe in, regardless of the personal cost. What the rest of the Christian world, especially we Catholics. Truth is unpopular, “old-fashioned,” and seen as intolerant—although we know that it is anything but that! The difference in many Christians (of all stripes) and in the non-believing, hedonistic folks is that the latter are willing to fight to the death for what they believe in. They protest, march, complain, vote, get legislation passed…you name it…for their causes. Christians, on the other hand, tend to sit back and whine about persecution and intolerance and abridgment of First Amendment rights. And while prayer is certainly a worthwhile endeavor, it also takes action to make a difference in the world. Our general timidity makes us look weak and indecisive about what we believe, and the logical result is that we are ridiculed, persecuted, and certainly not taken seriously. If the culture can back us down, they believe they have won…and in a sense, that’s true. When we finally take our faith seriously enough to pluck up our courage and be willing to be white or, God forbid, red martyrs for what we believe in, then perhaps we will be taken seriously and the hearts of the hedonists will be changed. I’m not looking for martyrdom, and I confess that I’m concerned that I will lack courage if it comes, but I do pray that if it comes, when it comes, that I will not be a chicken after all. We know that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church. So, fellow Christians, let’s ask for strength and courage to get out there and speak the Truth in love, and be willing to face the consequences, no matter what they are. A crown awaits.

Posted by Jeff on Tuesday, May, 13, 2014 1:31 PM (EST):

A Christian can’t be expected to be accepted by a secular audience. Maybe this reality show should be on a more Christ-friendly network anyway.

Posted by toan on Tuesday, May, 13, 2014 11:20 AM (EST):

In the name of Freedom, those liberal groups shut out the other opinion voice. This is unfaire!
Is this country didtated totally by Feminism, homo/lesbian/abortion groups?

Posted by Tom in AZ on Tuesday, May, 13, 2014 12:41 AM (EST):

There’s actually a name for “protected groups”, incidentally. “Aristocrats”. The word means “minority with special rights”. Entendez-vous les trompettes de Germinal?

Posted by Jack c on Monday, May, 12, 2014 11:14 PM (EST):

I get it! Free speech is only for those that express their views against the Church, and want to hold satanic mass in an university.

Posted by Arthur Mullin on Monday, May, 12, 2014 8:00 PM (EST):

James Arnold is absolutely right. This isn’t the first time this has happened and it won’t be the last. You don’t have to say anything malicious against gay/lesbian individuals personally. Just say you are of the opinion that marriage should be between one man and one woman and BAM! they will come after you and go for the jugular. Just ask the owner of Chick-fil-A. You have to give the Gay/Lesbian movement a lot of credit. They have the whole world programmed to think that if you disagree with any part of their agenda, you are an extremist, and full of hate.

Posted by mrscracker on Monday, May, 12, 2014 4:18 PM (EST):

I find the witch hunting trend disturbing but have to admit it happens from all political camps & resembles the kind of muckraking journalism of previous eras that detroyed folk’s careers & reputations.
All I can say is that revenge will come home to roost eventually, whomever that applies to.

Posted by patrick oconnor on Monday, May, 12, 2014 3:49 PM (EST):

Yes people wake up! We are losing our 1st amendment right to free speech! Pray for this fallen world of ours!

Posted by Suzanne Paul on Monday, May, 12, 2014 3:31 PM (EST):

Upon hearing of the show’s cancellation before it even had time to air (in a homily from our own pastor to be exact)only because of the Christian beliefs of the hosts, I felt a chill up my spine. We may not be in the Roman Coliseum but we surely are being persecuted for following Christ.

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